Peterson's Title 1 Of Many Deeds

Sports - Athelete of the week

The way Seminole senior Richard Peterson sees it, the mind and the body have an undeniable link. For peak performance, you have to exercise both to maximize your abilities.

By doing that, Peterson has found success in athletics and in the classroom during his four years at Seminole High School. He has been class president every year, takes advanced courses, maintains a 'B' average and is involved in several youth groups. He also participated in football, wrestling, weightlifting and track and was elected homecoming king last fall.

Last week Peterson added another accomplishment to his long list of achievements by capturing a state weightlifting title at the Class AAA meet in Palatka on Saturday. He was the only Central Floridian to win a title at that meet, totaling 640 pounds in the 198-pound weight class. He had a 380-pound bench press and 260-pound clean-and-jerk.

Peterson is Seminole Extra's athlete of the week.

''Being an athlete, people see your physical appearance before anything else,'' said Peterson, who carries a muscular 190 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame. ''If they don't know anything about you, you just have to prove them wrong.

''I like weightlifting because it makes you look good and feel good. That makes you perform better. They go hand-in-hand. It gives you self-esteem. Like any sport, it's a drug, a high. I love it. I'm addicted.''

Peterson, who had been bothered be a hamstring pull most of the season, had a season-best bench press of 400 and a top clean-and-jerk of 260. He defended his title at the Seminole Athletic Conference meet by topping competitors in all weight classes with his 400-pound bench press.

''It's self-confidence,'' Seminole weightlifting coach Bill Berry said. ''Pete's got so much of it, I've got to hold him down sometimes. He's ready to start off at 400 (pounds). I tell him, 'No, let's work our way up.' But he feels he can do it.''

Berry, who is also defensive coordinator for the football team, said he feels Peterson could have been the Seminoles' top linebacker this past year, but he was forced to play on the defensive line because of the team's needs. Peterson's senior season was cut short when he damaged knee ligaments against Edgewater and missed the final five games.

Because of the injury, Peterson was overlooked by major college recruiters. He signed a grant-in-aid with Division II West Virginia Wesleyan, where he plans to play football and have a double major in pre-law and computer science.

''I was really disappointed,'' Peterson said of the football season. ''Everything started slipping after that - everywhere. I started hanging my head. It was tough. I felt I let them (his teammates) down, and I let myself down.''

Peterson recovered from the letdown, bouncing back as he always does.

''Pete will be very successful,'' Berry said. ''He is unlike a lot of young kids who can't see past today. He can. He wants to achieve; he wants to be successful. He sets goals, and he has achieved a lot of them.''

One of Peterson's missions is to set an example for other young people, and he tries to pass on his outlook by speaking to groups. He will talk to Sanford Middle School students on Friday.

''It's not easy, but I try to (set an example),'' Peterson said. ''I'm not any different than them. It's just how you apply yourself.''